Mobile cellular devices can often be connected to two different cellular network technologies at the same time (for example 1XRTT+EVDO, or UMTS+LTE, etc). Mobile devices may transition between wireless technologies when radio frequency (RF) coverage is insufficient or the network is not capable of providing the service requested by the mobile device. For example, in networks that are only capable of data (LTE and EVDO), circuit-switched fallback (CSFB) or Simultaneous Voice and LTE data (SVLTE) operation of the mobile device is required to provide voice services via a circuit switched capable WWAN. The mobile device will need to have access to two different network access technologies to provide both data (packet switched) and voice (circuit switched) either simultaneously or sequentially. depending on the radio architecture of the mobile device. Each network technology has its own signal quality indicator (such as RSSI), which is usually represented on a mobile device such as a smartphone, in the form of signal bars displayed in the user interface so that user know what coverage is available. As different cellular or mobile wireless networks do not necessarily have the same RF coverage or network layout, the signal strength received by a mobile device and resulting quality can vary at a location for each cellular or mobile wireless network technology. However, typically only one signal quality indicator displayed to the user in a single visual set of signal quality or signal bars, which is usually the primary or faster access data network. When the service requested by a user, such as a voice call, does not use the primary network technology (EVDO or LTE), the signal quality indicator does not provide a true indication of RF quality to the user when the requested service requires the alternate or secondary network. As a result when the user requires access to the second network the service may fail, such as a voice call, even when the user believes signal quality is good based upon the primary network display in the signal quality indicator. Some mobile devices implement two separate/independent signal indicators in the display of the mobile device, however this is not advisable as it requires additional display area providing a poor visual design. Alternatively, some implementations provide a display that switches back and forth between two signal indicator sources based upon the active network which will not provide an indication of signal quality before a network transition occurs.
Accordingly, methods and devices display two signal quality indicators simultaneously remains highly desirable.
It will be noted that throughout the appended drawings, like features are identified by like reference numerals.